"73 Yards"

When talking about certain Doctor Who stories, the phrase 'There has never been a story like...' often crops up. "73 Yards" is reminiscent of several of RTD's previous stories. The most obvious antecedent is "Turn Left", where the Doctor is removed from the equation and we see how the world in general (and the companion in particular) copes with that loss. There are also hints of his BBC series Years and Years in the decades-spanning timeline. Yet, it has to be said, that there has never been a story quite like "73 Yards".

Starting as the kind of disorienting rural horror that periodically trends in popular culture (I was reminded of the pretty dissimilar British film Enys Men) the story has Ruby dealing with the horror that has entered her life which, over time, becomes almost familiar, yet never loses its potency. What it does do is alienate her from her family, potential partners and her potential allies, exemplified by a

very clever use of the welcome return of Kate and UNIT. A crescendo is reached when she uses the presence to stop the ascendancy of a dangerous future prime-minister.

There are no easy explanations and much is left unsaid. You can make your own mind up as to why the Doctor disappeared – maybe he saw this salient timeline as the only way of stopping Roger ap Gwilliam? Maybe he was away having adventures of his own? The fact that there appear to be loose ends may actually work in the plot's favour – the apparition has fulfilled its purpose, but it may have developed purposes of its own. Doctor Who stories always provoke frenzied theorising, but I feel that this story will provoke volumes - for example, with its themes of alienation and an adversary who cannot be approached, is there a subtle reference to social distancing.

There are nice guest turns from the supporting cast, including the legendary Siân Phillips. Aneurin Barnard is low key, which makes him all the more effective in portraying an demonic demagogue. In his brief scenes, Ncuti Gatwa is as compelling as ever. However he is not the lead, this time. Whatever else this story is, in only her fifth episode, Millie Gibson puts in a tour de force performance, effortlessly representing Ruby from her late teens to her early forties, gradually accepting what can laughably be called her destiny. Davies's mastery of blending the everyday with the extraordinary is amplified to new levels by her performance, as she deals with the entity.

The entity. Doctor Who has often been described as scary, yet it is possible that there has never been a story scarier than "73 Yards". Sometimes the most unsettling things are simple, in conception – in this case, a woman whose face you can never see. The effect on people is instant, yet terrifying. Again, the difference between Carla the loving mother and Carla the dispassionate foster carer is chilling. Dylan Holmes Williams is masterly in his début for the programme, making something that would probably be too scary for children, were the number of scary scenes increased, and were it shown in a cinema. Yet in a television episode length it will be the cause of wholesome nightmares.

The true meaning of "73 Yards" may change in the coming weeks, but its status as a great story will not.

NEXT: "Dot and Bubble"